Don’t Market Like it's 2006

On Wednesday night, I watched an old recorded episode of the West Wing. In fact, it was the Pilot episode, which aired before the series finale on May 14, 2006. As an aside, this is one of my all-time favorite T.V shows, and I still miss the incredible writing and wonderful acting. But I digress…

As I was watching the episode on my DVR, and beginning to fast-forward the commercials, it dawned on me. The commercials from 6 years ago are no different than the ones aired today. No different at all. NBC showed the same car commercials, the same travel commercials. Maybe the songs and offers have changed, but the actual commercials are no different.

Really? Nothing in the way of T.V. marketing has changed in 6 years? That is a major problem. But what’s worse is when marketers today try and use social media to market the same way they do in traditional media. The same way they did in 2006.

Social marketing requires much more than creating a flashy ad and adding some music. But, what, exactly does digital marketing require of businesses?

To be successful in social and digital marketing, businesses need to ensure that they are accomplishing the following:

Have a strategy in place for your marketing

Advertise where your clients are

Engage the “right” audience

Meld digital and traditional marketing, if necessary

Monitor results

Focus on clients’ needs

Don’t just take the traditional and use it in digital

And, the most important point, as we move forward in the world of marketing:

Don’t just keep doing the same thing over and over!

When you are looking to grow your brand or business, the most important thing to do is continually evolve your message. Make sure it fits with the medium.

Don’t market like it’s 2006.

What are you doing to change your marketing for the new digital world? How are you measuring results?